by Danni Rose
After they pulled up to the dock, Mason pulled Amber close and said, "Sweetheart, I planned to surprise you with a candlelight dinner. But since my parents are here, we'll postpone it until they leave."
"That's probably for the best." She brushed her lips over his. When he opened his mouth, she slipped her tongue in and teased him until he moaned. "When we celebrate, I want to have my wicked way with you, and I want to take my time."
"Permission to come aboard?"
Damn. The heat of a blush covered Amber's face. She took a deep breath and turned to Mason's parents.
"Mom. Dad. How are you? Why didn't you let me know you were coming for a visit?" Mason put out his hand to help them into the boat.
"We wanted to surprise you." His mother kissed his cheek. "Amber, it's good to see you."
"Hello, Mrs. Reed. Mr. Reed."
"Please call us Andrea and Ashton. Did you catch anything? Are you using bait or lures? What weight line are you using?"
Stunned, Mason asked, "Mom, how do you know so much about fishing?"
"When we lived in Serenity Bay and wanted to be alone, your father and I went out on the boat. Sometimes, we even fished."
"Mother! I don't want to hear this."
"Mason, don't be such a prude. Where do you think you came from?"
Mason groaned, and everyone laughed.
They stayed on the boat until they finished the tea, lemonade, and snacks. Amber and Andrea had caught walleye, and the men were skunked. The women laughed and did a victory dance. Back at The Mill, Mason and his father cleaned the fish for dinner, while Amber and Andrea showered and changed.
They sat on the sofa with glasses of wine. Andrea entertained Amber with stories about Mason while they waited for the men. "He first showed his interest in food when he was seven. We had a new cook, and she made appetizers the boys had never eaten."
Andrea smiled. "A few days after that first dinner, I was putting the boys' clothes away. In Mason's drawer, I found a crumpled napkin. It contained the remains of the appetizer."
Amber grinned. "Did you ask him about it?"
"I did." Andrea laughed. "Mason said it didn't taste the way it should. When I asked him what was wrong with it, he said the cook hadn't used the right cheese."
Amber laughed.
Mason walked into the room. "What's so funny?"
Andrea and Amber looked at each other and laughed harder.
With a shrug, Mason went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
When Ashton returned, he sat next to his wife and asked, "How is your plan working?"
"Business picked up sooner than we expected. We had to juggle to accommodate the requests for reservations at the bed-and-breakfast and the restaurant." She waited for Ashton to challenge her, but he didn't.
Instead, he said, "That's excellent. Mason said he hired more staff for the kitchen?"
"If he hadn't, he'd never get away from the stove. We now offer two seatings for lunch and dinner. Also, twice a week, we will have a special mid-afternoon dinner for guests of the B&B."
"Your plan is working well."
"Thank you, but the award from The Epicurean and Mason's appearance on the show was great publicity. Did he tell you they invited him back? The audience response to his segment was excellent. He will appear again in three months."
His mother clapped her hands together. "Mason, you're becoming a television star."
"Don't even think it. I'm a cook and glad to be one." Mason sat next to Amber and slipped an arm around her shoulders. "Although, I am taking on one other role…" He smiled at Amber. "Husband."
"That's wonderful," Andrea exclaimed and jumped to her feet. She hugged Mason while Ashton pulled Amber into a bear hug. They wore bright smiles.
Amber had hoped for Andrea's support of their decision, but it was Ashton's reaction that surprised her. He'd questioned and challenged every decision Mason made. She expected him to object to their decision to marry. His smile looked genuine. Does he think we'll move to New York now?
Ashton said, "Mason, you're a lucky man. Amber is beautiful, intelligent, and loves the River Inn as much as you."
"How do you know she loves the Inn?" Mason cocked his head.
His father laughed. "The way she defended you and the business the first time we met. I knew Amber was special, and I hoped you'd figured it out, too."
"Amber was special when we were fourteen. Now she is an amazing woman, and I am lucky she agreed to marry me." Mason gave her a quick kiss.
Ashton said, "Now we have two reasons to celebrate."
"What do you mean two?"
He handed an envelope to Mason. "For you."
Mason opened it and pulled out a packet of papers. As he read, his eyes widened. He looked at his father. "I gave up my inheritance, and I don't know if the Inn is profitable."
"Son, I never cared if the business made money. I wanted you to be sure about the life you'd chosen. When you gave up your inheritance to keep the Inn, you proved your commitment to your dream. Now with your marriage to Amber, I know you've found your happiness."
Mason stared at his father. Ashton smiled and gave him one of those shoulder-slapping man hugs.
EPILOGUE
Three days before the wedding, Amber took the day off to check the last minute details. She answered questions about the cake for Erik at Delectable Delights and talked to Lily at Magic Garden about a problem with the flowers. They were the last two items on her list. It had been a challenge to set up the wedding and magazine coverage in three short months, but she'd gotten it done.
Amber sighed. They had so much to celebrate. In three days she'd marry the man she adored, and the photos of the wedding would be part of a story featured in a bridal magazine. She'd been surprised by the magazine's enthusiastic response when she'd pitched the idea for a Christmas wedding in northern Minnesota. The reporter and photographer who were covering the event would arrive tomorrow.
But today, Amber's excitement was for Mason. She wanted to announce her news when Mason's family was here and could celebrate with them. Mason would have his moment of glory.
Taking a drink of her coffee, Amber smiled when the timer on the oven buzzed. The brownies were ready. She removed the pan from the oven. They looked good enough to eat. Mason always cooked, but she wanted to make something for him.
When Amber found the recipe for super caffeinated brownies, she knew they'd be perfect. Mason loved his coffee. To be sure there were enough brownies for everyone, she'd made a double batch. Now, the rich, smoky aroma of chocolate and coffee filled the house.
She looked out the window when she heard footsteps on the deck and threw a towel over the pan. Ashton and Andrea walked into the house followed by Jared. Mason entered last pulling two suitcases.
"I'm so glad you're here." She hugged Mason's parents and Jared.
Mason walked to the kitchen. "Something smells good."
Jared followed him. "Yeah."
Mason pointed to the towel covered pan. "Can I look?"
"First, I have something to tell you. I ran the reports to check the financial status of the Inn. The numbers confirmed what I'd predicted. The Inn, including both the restaurant and bed-and-breakfast, is profitable." She pulled the cloth off the pan.
"You're sure?" Mason grinned as he stared at the pan of brownies. "You made brownies?"
She nodded. "I thought we should celebrate."
Pride covered Mason's face as he looked at his father.
Jared slapped Mason on the back. "Well done, brother."
Ashton said, "I'm very proud of you."
"Dear, I knew you could do it." Andrea hugged him.
Jared pointed to the pan. "Let's taste the brownies. They smell great, and I'm hungry."
"You're always hungry." Mason cut into them. He handed the first one to Jared.
He grabbed one for himself and bit into it. His eyes widened, and he turned to Jared.
With a huge smile on her face, Amber said, "They're s
uper caffeinated brownies. They're made with coffee. The recipe called for four cups of coffee. When I made the batter, four cups seemed like too much, so I cut the coffee down to two cups."
Mason and Jared coughed so hard their eyes watered.
"Are you all right?" Amber asked.
Mason went to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of water. He handed one to Jared, who sounded like he was coughing up a lung. Their hacking became less violent but didn't stop.
Amber's shoulders drooped. "Are they that bad? I tried to follow the recipe, but the batter was so dry I added water. Did I ruin them?"
Mason took another drink of water. "Can I see the recipe?"
Amber handed it to him. He read the card and pressed his lips together. "What's wrong? Should I have used all eight cups of coffee?"
"You used ground coffee, didn't you?"
Amber nodded.
Mason grinned. "They meant brewed coffee."
Amber's face grew hot. When Mason smiled, his teeth were covered with coffee grounds. She bit her lip, but it didn't stop her laughter from bursting free.
"But they're very…" Mason coughed, and coffee grounds flew from his mouth, "tasty."
Amber's brownies became a legend retold at family gatherings, and years later, she still blushed.
The End
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Danni Rose is an award-winning author of sizzling historical and contemporary romance. When she's not reading, writing, or doing research for a new book, Danni is working with tiny glass beads to weave a new beadwork creation. Well, she is if her cat will get off her lap. It's true, Joan Wilder has nothing on this cat-lady.
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Books in Serenity Bay Series:
Book 1: Kiss Yesterday Goodbye – novel
Book 2: Dreams for Tomorrow – novella
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